Means to recuperate the atmospheric moisture



July 28, 1931.

A. KNAPEN 1,816,592

MEANS TO RECUPE IRATE THE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE Filed Nov. 25. 1927 I' V i y 7197. 1.

ii ii. i k '2 l i Inventor;

.belowfthat of the atmosphere.

Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STATES AQHILLE KNAIPEN, 0F BRUSSELS, BELGIUM MEANS TO REGUPERA'IE THE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE.

Application filed November 23, 1927, Serial No. 235391, and in Belgium November 24, 1926.

This invention relates to means for collecting atmospheric moisture by condensing the gaseous moisture carriedby warm air. It has for its purpose to provide, in the warm or desertic countries, atmospheric condensers adapted to be used as aerial wells. To this end, the atmospheric air is caused to circulate in a closed structure the inner walls ofwhich are coated with stones or other materials formingsharp edges and projections. Gaseous moisture and the water vapor contained in the air condenses on coming in contact with these sharp edges or angles, and deposits the water of condensation which accumulates in the form of drops, and is collected in a tank at the lower part of the construction.

My invention is based upon the well known phenomena of radiation of heat, that is, the law which states that bodies radiate and absorb heat simultaneously and con tinuously and when the radiation exceeds the absorption, the temperature of the body decreases, and vice versa. As'regards the earth, it is well known that during the night the surface cools'very rapidly due to the radiation of heat received fromthe sun during the day. Furthermore, bodies which are on the surface of the earth arealso lowered in temperature accordingly, and'it has been observed that the temperature of bodies in contact with the surface of the earth falls In consequence of this difference in temperature between the earth and the atmosphere, water vapor carried by the surrounding air is deposited on the ground and the bodies in contact therewith. These deposits of water constitute the dew. It has also been observed that the sharp edges of materials having a prismatic configuration such as ordinary broken stone or burnt earth reach their dew point well before the entire mass and the gaseous moisture or water vapor contained in the air in contact with these sharp edges or angles deposit their water of condensation as soon as they have reached their dew point.

In the practical embodiment of the in vention, channels are provided in a building nels 2 are provided, which are inclined from ground. These structures may be built with placed above a tank formed with a suitable material, such as ordinary stone or other material having substantially the same density and specific warmth as ordinary stone. The channels are used as inlets and outlets. The inlet channels are inclined from the exterior to the interior surface in order to aid the entrance of the air, and the outlet channels are inclined from the interior to the exterior to aid the exhaust of the air after it has been conducted along the inner walls of the condensation room which are coated with sharp and vertically arranged edges so as to favour the condensation action. I

The annexed drawing shows,- by way of. example, an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a construction forming an aerial well and placed above a tank.

Figs. 2 and 3 show two other forms of embodiment of the invention.

As shown on those figures, the atmos-' pheric condenser comprises a construction extending upwardly above the ground and formed of any material, such as ordinary or artificial stones. This construction may take the form of a circular, square, oval or pentagonal tower (Fig. 1), or of a cupola (Fig. 2), or an elongated form such as a stack or an elongated tumulus (Fig. 3). The specific construction wi'll'depend upon the local climatic conditions.

In the upper portion of the walls, chanthe outer to the inner surface. In the lower half,-s1m1lar channels 3 are provided which are lnclined from the lnner to the outer surface. The walls are covered or coated with broken stones 4 or other material having sharp edges. The lower part of the room 5 has the shape of a funnel and communicates by meansof an' aperture 7 with a tank 8. In some cases the tank 8 is put under any available'means, or with stones gathcred-together on'the spot, on condition that,

if they are composed vofpebbles or round stones, the pebbles or stones will be broken to coat the inner wall of the condensation the local climate, so as to=liave the reatest possible calorificinertia,

The working 1s the following: The warm air enters the condensation room 5 through theinlets 2. The moisture contained in the air gathers and is condensed on the sharp edges 4 so that the drops fall into-the funnel 6 passing through the aperture 7 into the tank 8. It is obvious that thista-nk canbe provided with an over-flow pipeand a man-hole;

After circulating in the condensation room 5, theair, separated from its moisture by the cooling action of the walls, escapes through the lower channels 3 arranged in one or more rows, depending upon the predominating winds, in the" lower half of the aerial: well 1. I

The dimensions of the outlet channels may be proportionately smaller than those of the inlet channels 2. Experiments have shown that, in view of the action of the sharp edges'ofthe materialswhich are used, as indicated, hereabove, the condensation is sufiicient, to produce inthe tank'8 a suitable accumulation of water,- so that the building constitutes in reality anaerialwe-ll for the production of areserve of water.

In sandy countries, deserts and the like, dams formed of plants, wind-screens ofdry stone, etc., may be established in order to avoid the gathering of the sand. Even when partly inthe sand, the aerial wells built according to this" invention continue to provide drinkable water;

I claim:

I. An atmosphericair condensercomprising a building having acondensation chamber in the upper portion thereof and a moisture chamber below the condensation chamberin which the moisture deposited'bn the walls of the condensation chamber is collected, the walls of said building having air inlet and'outlet openings *throughthat portionthereof" constituting the walls of the condensation chamber, the inlet opieningsbeing inclined downwardly from the outer -'to the inner surface of the walls, a n'd the outlet openings being inclined downwardly from the inner to theouter surface of the-walls.

2. An atmospheric air condenser comprising building having a' 'condensatio'n chamber in the upper portion-thereof anda'moi'sture' chamber below thecondensation ch'am her in wliichthe moistu-re deposited drrthe The thicknesses of the walls also dewalls of the condensation chamber is collected, the walls of said building having air inlet and outlet openings through that por: tion thereof constituting the walls of the condensation chamber, the inlet openings being near the top of the condensation chamber and being inclined downwardly from the outer to the inner surface'of the walls, and the outlet openings being at the bottom of the condensation chamber and being inclined downwardly from the inner to the outer surface of the walls. I

An'a'tmosph'eric air condenser comprising a building having a condensation chamber in the upper portion thereof and a moisture chamber; below the condensation chamber in-which the moisture deposited on the walls ofthe condensation cham ber is collected, the walls of said building having air inlet and 1 outlet openings through? that portion thereof-constituting the walls of the condensationchamber, and ai-partition wall between the condensation chamber and the moisture chamber having an opening through the center thereof, the llp-i' per s'urfaceof said partition' wall-being'inclinedtoward the opening therethrough.

4." An-atmosp'heric air condenser comprising a'building havinga condensation chamber in the upper portion thereof,.- the inner surface of the walls of which are coated with sharp and vertically arrangeiiledges and a moisture. chamber below said condensation chamber'in' which the moisture deposited on the inner surfaceof-the'walls of with sharp and" vertically arranged edges 4 and a mixture chamber below said 1 condensation 1n which'the'moisture deposited-on '-the' inner surfac'eof the walls of the condensation chamber isc'ollect'ed; said condensation chamber being below the surface of the earth, the walls of saidbuil'ding having air inlet and outlet openi s through that portion thereof constituting the walls of the condensation chamber.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature; I

, ACHILEE-KNAPENQ 

